Lebanese militias rearming
By Olivier Guitta
In light of the infighting going on in Nahr El Bared between the Lebanese army and the Fatah Al Islam, plus the flare in Ain Al Helwi and the FPLP-GC also rearming, it is not surprising that others are joining the fray. For proof, this article from The Croissant:
Fearing a new religious conflict, Lebanese militias are recruiting elements and think about rearming. According to a Western diplomat: “it does not mean heavy artillery but some leaders are seeking to purchase anti-tank weapons for street fighting”. But according to ex-Interior Minister Ahmad Fatfat (who is close to prime Minister Fuad Siniora): “The street is ready but for the time being no one would benefit from starting a civil war. It is true that Lebanese are buying personal weapons, but it is nonetheless exaggerated to speak of an organized rearmament of the militias. However the Druzes are still training, same goes for the Christians (of the Lebanese forces and of General Aoun) and the Shiite militia Amal, and I am not even talking about Hezbollah.”
At the end of January, bloody fighting between pro-government Sunnis and Hezbollah Shiites raised concern about a potential new domestic conflict. The discovery of weapons in February by the Customs in East Beirut are raising questions about their final use. In fact there were short-range Grad Rockets, already used by Hezbollah against Israel, but also, according to the same Western diplomat, they found RPG 29, i.e. anti-tank weapons for foot soldiers used for street combat.
To read more about Hezbollah and the Sunnis rearming, please click here.
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